Diversity: Demographic Dynamism and Metropolitan Change

This is a paper concerning the article Demographic Dynamism and Metropolitan Change. There is one reference used for this paper.

Demographics are changing in many major cities throughout the United States. It is interesting to compare four major cities and the changes occurring there.

Changing Demographics

There are a number of factors which influence demographic dynamism and urban theory. These factors include "state of urban theory, population factor, people vs. place orientation, black-white conceptions of race and life-cycle trajectories in the city (Myers, 1999)." It has been noted that all ethnic groups will make advances in terms of housing and economic goals over a period of time, however upward mobility is often neglected by urban scholars. Upward mobility is "measured by two major outcomes important to both people and the places they live: poverty and homeownership (Myers, 1999)."

Comparing Cities

When comparing four major cities in terms of demographics, it is important to understand how each city is perceived. Chicago is "the prototype for understanding the large, industrial city in 20th America, while New York is known for its size and as a financial and media center, as well as a gateway for immigrants. Washington, D.C. provides the urban experience shared by federal policy makers, while Los Angeles is considered a newer, rapidly growing, lower-density and less industrialized city, and like New York, is a gateway for immigrants and offers ethnic diversity (Myers, 1999)." When comparing demographic dynamics, studies found they were more pronounced in Los Angeles, setting it apart from the three other cities. These results further exemplified the mutual demographics of New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

Conclusion

Demographics are continually changing throughout the country. Urban scholars need to be aware of the differences, as well as influences, of cities in order to properly chart the changing demographics of the United States.

References

Myers, Dowell. (1999) Demographic Dynamism and Metropolitan Change: Comparing

Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C. Housing Policy Debate,

Vol. 10, Issue 4. pp. 919-954. (accessed 07 January, 2003). http://www.fanniemaefoundation.org/programs/hpd/pdf/hpd_1004_myers.pdf.